R2024-02 Col­li­sion of trams on light rail line 15 in Helsinki on 15 Oc­to­ber 2024 and col­li­sion of tram with end wall in Es­poo on 15 No­vem­ber 2024

17.11.2025

Two trams collided near the terminus of light rail line 15 in Itäkeskus, Helsinki, on 15 October 2024. The collision occurred as the driver of one of the trams left the terminus without permission to leave, passing a signal at danger. The switch system implementation directed the tram to a different track at the first switch, and it collided side-on with an oncoming tram. One passenger sustained minor injuries in the collision. The material damage caused by the accident was extremely large. The repair costs of the trams exceeded EUR 1 million.

A tram on light rail line 15 collided with the end wall of the track in Keilaniemi, Espoo, on 15 November 2024. The collision with the end wall occurred as the tram driver lost their functional capacity shortly before arriving at the terminus and was unable to stop the tram before the track end point. Four passengers were injured in the accident, one of whom sustained more serious injuries. The material damage caused by the accident was minor.

Light rail line 15, which serves areas of Helsinki and Espoo, is the first so-called express tramway in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The maximum speeds on this line are 70 km/h. The drivers operate in on-sight mode. The investigation found that all key traffic risks had not been identified comprehensively in the design and construction phases. The design principles of track, rolling stock and operation were guided by the view that light rail line 15 is an extension of the existing tram network. This design concept led to several implementation solutions that were not conducive to track and rolling stock safety.

Personnel factors contributed to both accidents. The tram operators’ shift system exposes drivers to fatigue. In addition, the organisation’s atmosphere does not optimally promote the making of safety observations and learning from deviation reports.

There is little or no regulation on tram traffic in Finland and the European Union. In the absence of official regulation and standardisation, a variety of technical implementations and modes of operation have evolved in the sector. For example, the selection process and health and training requirements of drivers are similarly less stringent in tram traffic than in rail traffic in Finland, and less stringent than what is commonly seen in tram traffic in the Nordic countries. On the basis of the investigation, it can be generally concluded that tram traffic is lagging significantly behind other modes of transport in the use of technologies that improve safety and assist drivers.

To improve safety, the Safety Investigation Authority recommends that:

1. The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency define national health requirements and a health monitoring system for tram drivers with a risk-based approach.[2025-S29]
2. In tram drivers’ shift arrangements, urban rail operators take the drivers’ alertness into consideration and define clear procedures for interrupting work if the driver feels tired. [2025-S30]
3. Urban rail operators deploy more technologies that improve safety and support drivers in tram traffic. [2025-S31]
4. The Ministry of Transport and Communications launch a regulatory project to define national safety requirements for and supervision of tram traffic. [2025-S32]

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